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Housing
affects
students,
residents
Songfest draws hundreds to musical extravaganza
MONDAY
—:-*--—
April 2, 2001
Of interest...
Garage band Hoobustank climbs their way to stardom, one album at a time / 7
_
Newt Digest 2 Calendar 2 Opinions 4 'SCribbles 4 Lifestyle 7 Classifieds 12 Crossword 13 Sports It
vol. CXXXXII. no. 49 www.usc.edu/dt
Housing: Overflow of students looking for housing in surrounding area increases competition; affects prices, local residents
By ADINA DIAMOND
SUIT Writer
Tammy Tatro I Daily Troian
Blast off. This fratemity-sorority team was one of eight groups competing in Friday’s Songfest, "Blast from the Past."
Event Lambda Chi Alpha and Alpha Phi take first; first time performance is all Greek By CHRYST1NA WOODY
SUIT Writer
Hundreds of hecklers and supporters filled Bovard Auditorium Friday night to watch the team of Lambda Chi Alpha and Alpha Phi win first place in Songfest, an annual music and dance competition that benefits Troy Camp.
However, this was the first time in three years that ticket and T-shirt sales made a profit for a donation to the week-long camp for local children, said Jacob Evert, executive director of Songfest Usually the production costs of the show and a lack of sponsors leave the group in a $2,000 debt
“People don't recognize this as an official fundraiser," Evert said.
This year’s theme was “Blast from the Past" and for the first time since Songfest began in the 1940s, all the participants were Greek. The fratemity-sorority teams took popular songs from movie soundtracks, television shows and the
radio, then added original lyrics. USC alumni judged the performers on originality, entertainment, performance, choreography, costumes, sets and props.
Lambda Chi Alpha and Alpha Phi won the sweepstakes trophy for their “Best in the West" piece, directed by Lindsey Smith-Sands, a senior majoring in psychology; Ryan Fries, a senior majoring in biomedical engineering and Nick Sachs.
“We looked at this as a competition and that we could win it this year," Smith-Sands said.
The 60-person cast also took home “Best Director" and “Best Sets and Props" for its love-story western about a cowboy who is saved from an evil monster by a cowgirl—his true love.
“Best in the West" featured a dance break where the choreography was exactly the same as N*SYNC’s in the “Bye, Bye. Bye” video.
“I watched (TTSYNCs) Saturday Night Live’ performance over and over again," Smith-Sands said.
Many groups borrowed from N*SYNC, including first
v I see tswtfsst. page U I
Student newspaper of the University of Southern California
Mason Poole I Daily Trojan
Pinning winners. Sam Tardiff, a senior majoring in business administration, pins a ribbon on a Spirits in Action participant. The annual event drew 300 athletes and 500 volunteers to Cromwell Field on Saturday.
Volunteers spend spirited day
Philanthropy: Hundreds of athletes participate in events with student buddies
By YVONNE NGAI
Staff Writer
While some danced to Britney Spears in between carnival games, others sang the pop star’s songs to win prizes Saturday during Spirits in Action, a sporting event for mentally or physically disabled community members.
The annual event brought about 800 people to Cromwell Field, 300 of whom were athletes ranging from age 5 to 70. The athletes—mostly children from local schools—participated in eight sports, including bas-
ketball, soccer and long jump.
If the athletes wanted to take a break from sports, they could follow the cotton candy smell, which led to the end of the field and Spirit City, a carnival of games, loud music and an inflated bounce house.
USC students and community member volunteers were scattered across the field to run individual events or to be paired up with athletes as “buddies.” Buddies were responsible for helping the athletes to different events as well as being their coaches and personal cheerleaders.
Mide Macaulay, a senior majoring in psychology and sociology and director of this year's Spirits in Action, said he became involved with the event his freshman year when he was looking for "something different to do.”
“It was an invigorating experience," Macaulay said. “1 was paired with five athletes, and one athlete and his mother especially struck a chord. I realized then I wanted to dedicate and devote myself to this.” Macaulay said keeping the event completely free was a high priority, and $13,000 to $15,000 was raised to cover the expenses of the day-long program. The money came from businesses, organizations, USC faculty and other personal donations. Booths in Spirit City could also be sponsored for $75 each.
The money was used toward T-shirts for all participants, ribbons for the athletes, gift certificates that were raffled off to volunteers and other prizes for Spirit City and spontaneous I see Spirits, page 111
"It was an invigorating experience...! realized then I wanlvd to dedicate and devote myself to this."
MlDE
MACAULAY
director Spirits in Action
A Split Result
Both USC men’s and womens tennis took on the Bruins over the weekend, but only the Women ofTroy finished the match
victorious /16
Dianna Truong has not been lucky with numbers lately.
During USC’s Returning Resident Renewal process, she received a lottery number in the 3,000s. By the time she went to her appointment late last month, all spaces in university-owned housing were taken. Truong then signed up for the R3 waiting list and is Na 577 of about 700.
Truong, a freshman majoring in communication, next looked to nearby privately owned housing. She wanted to live in Conquest Student Housing, but didn't fare any better. Last weekend, she and her roommate joined hundreds of people vying for 24 spaces.
One day later, she waited again in another long line and was not one of the 12 people to sign a contract
Saturday, she woke up at 7 a.m. to stand in line again, but came up with the same result
Not having secured housing for next year is not a good feeling Truong said.
“It's just the most depressing, disheartening thing," she said. “There's so much uncertainty."
The search for housing is also taking a toll on her in other ways, she said.
“It’s affecting my schoolwork,” she said. “It’s completely stressful to have (this) hanging over me."
But the lack of on-campus housing does not negatively impact everyone.
Companies such as Conquest Student Housing are
I see Apartments, page 111
A look at housing options in the USC area and their impact on renters and the community

Housing
affects
students,
residents
Songfest draws hundreds to musical extravaganza
MONDAY
—:-*--—
April 2, 2001
Of interest...
Garage band Hoobustank climbs their way to stardom, one album at a time / 7
_
Newt Digest 2 Calendar 2 Opinions 4 'SCribbles 4 Lifestyle 7 Classifieds 12 Crossword 13 Sports It
vol. CXXXXII. no. 49 www.usc.edu/dt
Housing: Overflow of students looking for housing in surrounding area increases competition; affects prices, local residents
By ADINA DIAMOND
SUIT Writer
Tammy Tatro I Daily Troian
Blast off. This fratemity-sorority team was one of eight groups competing in Friday’s Songfest, "Blast from the Past."
Event Lambda Chi Alpha and Alpha Phi take first; first time performance is all Greek By CHRYST1NA WOODY
SUIT Writer
Hundreds of hecklers and supporters filled Bovard Auditorium Friday night to watch the team of Lambda Chi Alpha and Alpha Phi win first place in Songfest, an annual music and dance competition that benefits Troy Camp.
However, this was the first time in three years that ticket and T-shirt sales made a profit for a donation to the week-long camp for local children, said Jacob Evert, executive director of Songfest Usually the production costs of the show and a lack of sponsors leave the group in a $2,000 debt
“People don't recognize this as an official fundraiser," Evert said.
This year’s theme was “Blast from the Past" and for the first time since Songfest began in the 1940s, all the participants were Greek. The fratemity-sorority teams took popular songs from movie soundtracks, television shows and the
radio, then added original lyrics. USC alumni judged the performers on originality, entertainment, performance, choreography, costumes, sets and props.
Lambda Chi Alpha and Alpha Phi won the sweepstakes trophy for their “Best in the West" piece, directed by Lindsey Smith-Sands, a senior majoring in psychology; Ryan Fries, a senior majoring in biomedical engineering and Nick Sachs.
“We looked at this as a competition and that we could win it this year," Smith-Sands said.
The 60-person cast also took home “Best Director" and “Best Sets and Props" for its love-story western about a cowboy who is saved from an evil monster by a cowgirl—his true love.
“Best in the West" featured a dance break where the choreography was exactly the same as N*SYNC’s in the “Bye, Bye. Bye” video.
“I watched (TTSYNCs) Saturday Night Live’ performance over and over again," Smith-Sands said.
Many groups borrowed from N*SYNC, including first
v I see tswtfsst. page U I
Student newspaper of the University of Southern California
Mason Poole I Daily Trojan
Pinning winners. Sam Tardiff, a senior majoring in business administration, pins a ribbon on a Spirits in Action participant. The annual event drew 300 athletes and 500 volunteers to Cromwell Field on Saturday.
Volunteers spend spirited day
Philanthropy: Hundreds of athletes participate in events with student buddies
By YVONNE NGAI
Staff Writer
While some danced to Britney Spears in between carnival games, others sang the pop star’s songs to win prizes Saturday during Spirits in Action, a sporting event for mentally or physically disabled community members.
The annual event brought about 800 people to Cromwell Field, 300 of whom were athletes ranging from age 5 to 70. The athletes—mostly children from local schools—participated in eight sports, including bas-
ketball, soccer and long jump.
If the athletes wanted to take a break from sports, they could follow the cotton candy smell, which led to the end of the field and Spirit City, a carnival of games, loud music and an inflated bounce house.
USC students and community member volunteers were scattered across the field to run individual events or to be paired up with athletes as “buddies.” Buddies were responsible for helping the athletes to different events as well as being their coaches and personal cheerleaders.
Mide Macaulay, a senior majoring in psychology and sociology and director of this year's Spirits in Action, said he became involved with the event his freshman year when he was looking for "something different to do.”
“It was an invigorating experience," Macaulay said. “1 was paired with five athletes, and one athlete and his mother especially struck a chord. I realized then I wanted to dedicate and devote myself to this.” Macaulay said keeping the event completely free was a high priority, and $13,000 to $15,000 was raised to cover the expenses of the day-long program. The money came from businesses, organizations, USC faculty and other personal donations. Booths in Spirit City could also be sponsored for $75 each.
The money was used toward T-shirts for all participants, ribbons for the athletes, gift certificates that were raffled off to volunteers and other prizes for Spirit City and spontaneous I see Spirits, page 111
"It was an invigorating experience...! realized then I wanlvd to dedicate and devote myself to this."
MlDE
MACAULAY
director Spirits in Action
A Split Result
Both USC men’s and womens tennis took on the Bruins over the weekend, but only the Women ofTroy finished the match
victorious /16
Dianna Truong has not been lucky with numbers lately.
During USC’s Returning Resident Renewal process, she received a lottery number in the 3,000s. By the time she went to her appointment late last month, all spaces in university-owned housing were taken. Truong then signed up for the R3 waiting list and is Na 577 of about 700.
Truong, a freshman majoring in communication, next looked to nearby privately owned housing. She wanted to live in Conquest Student Housing, but didn't fare any better. Last weekend, she and her roommate joined hundreds of people vying for 24 spaces.
One day later, she waited again in another long line and was not one of the 12 people to sign a contract
Saturday, she woke up at 7 a.m. to stand in line again, but came up with the same result
Not having secured housing for next year is not a good feeling Truong said.
“It's just the most depressing, disheartening thing," she said. “There's so much uncertainty."
The search for housing is also taking a toll on her in other ways, she said.
“It’s affecting my schoolwork,” she said. “It’s completely stressful to have (this) hanging over me."
But the lack of on-campus housing does not negatively impact everyone.
Companies such as Conquest Student Housing are
I see Apartments, page 111
A look at housing options in the USC area and their impact on renters and the community